RON is held back by GINNY as he charges at DRACO.

RON: Do you want a smack in the mouth?

DRACO: Face it - his celebrity impacts upon you all. And how better to get everyone whispering the Potter name again than with (he does an impression of HARRY) "my scar is hurting, my scar is hurting." And do you know what this all means - that the gossipmongers once again have an opportunity to defame my son with these ridiculous rumors about his parentage.

HARRY: Draco, no one is saying this has anything to do with Scorpius . . .

DRACO: Well, I, for one, think this meeting a sham. And Im leaving.

He walks out. Others start to disperse after him.

HERMIONE: No. Thats not the way . . . Come back. We need a strategy.

ACT ONE, SCENE THIRTEEN.

ST. OSWALDS HOME FOR OLD WITCHES AND WIZARDS.

This is chaos. This is magic. This is St. Oswalds Home for Old Witches and Wizards and it is as wonderful as you might hope.

Walker frames are conjured into life, knitting wool is enchanted into chaos, and male nurses are made to dance tango.

These are people relieved of the burden of having to do magic for a reason - instead these witches and wizards do magic for fun. And what fun they have.

ALBUS and SCORPIUS enter, looking around themselves, amused, and lets face it, slightly scared.

ALBUS and SCORPIUS: Um, excuse me . . . Excuse me. EXCUSE ME!

SCORPIUS: Okay, so this place is wild.

ALBUS: Were looking for Amos Diggory.

There is suddenly total silence. Everything is instantly still. And slightly depressed.

WOOL WOMAN: And what you boys want with that miserable old sod?

DELPHI appears with a smile.

DELPHI: Albus? Albus! You came? How wonderful! Come and say hello to Amos!

ACT ONE, SCENE FOURTEEN.

ST. OSWALDS HOME FOR OLD WITCHES AND WIZARDS, AMOSS ROOM.

AMOS looks at SCORPIUS and ALBUS - irritated. DELPHI watches the three of them.

AMOS: So let me get this straight. You overhear a conversation - a conversation which was not meant for you to overhear - and you decide - without prompting, in fact, without leave - to interfere, and interfere hard, in someone elses business.

ALBUS: My father lied to you - I know he did. They do have a Time-Turner.

AMOS: Of course they do. You can move along now.

ALBUS: What? No. Were here to help.

AMOS: Help? What use could a pair of undersized teenagers be for me?

ALBUS: My father proved you dont have to be grown-up to change the wizarding world.

AMOS: So I should allow you to get involved because youre a Potter? Relying on your famous name, are you?

ALBUS: No!

AMOS: A Potter who is in Slytherin House - yes, Ive read about you - and who brings a Malfoy with him to visit me - a Malfoy who may be a Voldemort? Whos to say youre not involved in Dark Magic?

ALBUS: But - AMOS: Your information was obvious but the confirmation is useful. Your father did lie. Now leave. The pair of you. And stop wasting my time.

ALBUS (with power and strength): No, you need to listen to me, you said it yourself - how much blood is on my fathers hands. Let me help you change that. Let me help correct one of his mistakes. Trust me.

AMOS (his voice raised): Did you not hear me, boy? I see no reason to trust you. So go. Now. Before I make you leave.

He raises his wand ominously. ALBUS looks at the wand - he deflates - AMOS has crushed him.

SCORPIUS: Come on, mate, if theres one thing were good at its knowing where were not wanted.

ALBUS is reluctant to leave. SCORPIUS pulls him by the arm. He turns and they walk away.

DELPHI: I can think of one reason why you should trust them, Uncle.

They stop.

Theyre the only ones volunteering to help. Theyre prepared to bravely put themselves at risk to return your son to your side. In fact, Im pretty sure they put themselves at risk even getting here . . .

AMOS: This is Cedric were talking about . . .

DELPHI: And - didnt you say yourself, having someone inside Hogwarts might be a massive advantage?

DELPHI kisses the top of AMOSs head. AMOS looks at DELPHI, and then turns to look at the boys.

AMOS: Why? Why do you want to put yourself at risk? Whats in it for you?

ALBUS: I know what it is to be the spare. Your son didnt deserve to be killed, Mr. Diggory. We can help you get him back.

AMOS (finally showing emotion): My son - my son was the best thing that ever happened to me - and youre right, it was an injustice - a gross injustice. If youre serious . . .

ALBUS: Were deadly serious.

AMOS: This is going to be dangerous.

ALBUS: We know.

SCORPIUS: Do we?

AMOS: Delphi - perhaps if you were prepared to accompany them?

DELPHI: If that would make you happy, Uncle.

She smiles at ALBUS, he smiles back.

AMOS: You do understand even getting the Time-Turner will risk your lives.

ALBUS: Were ready to put our lives at risk.

SCORPIUS: Are we?

AMOS (gravely): I hope you have it in you.

ACT ONE, SCENE FIFTEEN.

HARRY AND GINNY POTTERS HOUSE, KITCHEN.

HARRY, RON, HERMIONE, and GINNY sit, eating together.

HERMIONE: Ive told Draco again and again - no one in the Ministry is saying anything about Scorpius. The rumors arent coming from us.

GINNY: I wrote to him - after he lost Astoria - to ask if theres anything we could do. I thought maybe - as he was such a good friend to Albus - maybe Scorpius might want to stay over part of the Christmas break or . . . My owl came back with a letter containing one simple sentence: "Tell your husband to refute these allegations about my son once and for all."

HERMIONE: Hes obsessed.

GINNY: Hes a mess - a grieving mess.

RON: And Im sorry for his loss but when he accuses Hermione of . . . Well . . . (He looks across at HARRY.) Oi droopy drawers, like I say to her all the time, it could be nothing.

HERMIONE: Her?

RON: The trolls could be going to a party, the giants to a wedding, you could be getting bad dreams because youre worried about Albus, and your scar could be hurting because youre getting old.

HARRY: Getting old? Thanks, mate.

RON: Honestly, every time I sit down now I make an "ooof" noise. An "ooof." And my feet - the trouble Im having with my feet - I could write songs about the pain my feet give me - maybe your scar is like that.

GINNY: You talk a lot of rubbish.

RON: I consider it my speciality. That and my range of Skiving Snackboxes. And my love for all of you. Even Skinny Ginny.

GINNY: If you dont behave, Ronald Weasley, I will tell Mum.

RON: You wouldnt.

HERMIONE: If some part of Voldemort survived, in whatever form, we need to be prepared. And Im scared.

GINNY: Im scared too.

RON: Nothing scares me. Apart from Mum.

HERMIONE: I mean it, Harry, I will not be Cornelius Fudge on this one. I will not stick my head in the sand. And I dont care how unpopular that makes me with Draco Malfoy.

RON: You never really were one for popularity, were you?

HERMIONE shoots RON a withering look as she aims to hit him but RON jumps out of the way.

Missed.

GINNY hits RON. RON winces.

Hit. A very solid hit.

Suddenly an owl is in the room. It swoops in low and drops a letter on HARRYs plate.

HERMIONE: Bit late for an owl, isnt it?

HARRY opens the letter. Surprised.

HARRY: Its from Professor McGonagall.

GINNY: What does it say?